Thinking of Moving to San Francisco?

The City by the Bay is increasingly becoming a popular stomping ground among the tech elite. Some of these newcomers can afford to buy, while others are lucky to slide into a rent-controlled apartment. But today’s real estate market is drastically different than those of the past century when free-spirited people, immigrants, and working-class individuals easily moved to this melting pot. Oh yeah, and when you tell your friends you’re moving, don’t call the City “Frisco.”

Living in San Francisco

At approximately 49-square-miles and 852,469 multicultural humans strong, San Francisco is the second-most densely populated major city in the country, after New York. It’s fairly common knowledge that it’s expensive to rent or buy property in San Francisco, yet its romantic lure continues. The median home value in San Francisco is $1,130,400 (Zillow), and the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,500 (Zumper).

Once you get over the sticker shock and finally nab a place, you’ll find it’s easy to start calling the city home. Whether you live in a historical Victorian, two-floor flat, or 24-unit building, San Francisco’s quaint, quirky, walkable neighborhoods generally offer loads of coffee shops, restaurants, and shops to fuel the soul.

Traffic

The strong local economy is creating a lot of hustle and bustle when it comes to moving in and around the city. Commute times are lengthening, thanks to local roadway and freeway bottlenecks. Fortunately, San Francisco’s extensive bus, trolley, streetcar, and famous cable car system help folks move about the City. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway services the East side of town, and a new efficient light-rail subway—connecting South of Market, Yerba Buena, Union Square and Chinatown—is slated to open in 2019. Of course, Lyft and Uber are extremely popular options for getting around if you don’t want to take public transportation or drive your own car during congested peak hours. Riding on two wheels is an increasingly popular mode of conveyance with an estimated 75,000 San Franciscans traveling to work by bike every day.

Weather

It’s all about wearing layers in San Francisco—ward off a potential cool ocean breeze with a sweater or shed that pullover when the sun heats you up. Wintertime is generally the rainy season, and summer usually brings with it thick fog. Locals like to boast that, thanks to warmer fall temps, September and October are the best weather months to plan a visit.

The City by the Bay boasts an average temperature of 57 with 2,950 hours of sunlight annually.

California Academy of Sciences

de Young

Exploratorium

The Walt Disney Family Museum

Children's Creativity Museum

Dolores Park

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA, United States

Parks

Parks are a great way to soak up nature and get away from the hustle-and-bustle of the city.

Dolores Park

Golden Gate Park

Nightlife

Seeking an underground music scene? Want to socialize with your neighbors at a dive bar? Attend your friend’s movie premiere? Or dance to salsa music at midnight? Then variety is yours and this is your town. The best part is most activities are available on any given night. Think art opening in the Mission on a random Tuesday. Then head over to an obscure indie arts performance the following night. Plus, the Fillmore, Warfield, Great American Music Hall, and Bimbo’s 365, are all historic, well-known music venues that bring in big acts catering to every musical genre.

Food

Once upon a time, someone wrote: “There are more seats in restaurants in San Francisco than there are people.” While that may or may not hold true anymore, San Francisco is a culinary paradise. San Francisco boasts Michelin-starred and James Beard-recognized restaurants, intermixed with plenty of budget-friendly options from ramen and pho to late-night pizza. No matter your palette, you can find it here.

Sports

The five-time Super Bowl champs—the San Francisco 49ers—recently packed up and moved to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, but we’re sure they left their hearts in San Francisco. The tried-and-true San Francisco Giants have won three World Championships in the last six years and play at AT&T Park stacked with a beautiful water view. NBA champs, the Golden State Warriors, are expected to move to San Francisco from Oakland by 2019. Of course, there are other noteworthy Bay Area professional and collegiate teams nearby, but, hey, we’re talking about San Francisco.

Culture

You can be whoever you want to be and live however you want to live in a city as unique and accepting as San Francisco. Second glances and stares are a rarity here, and San Franciscans accept diversity with open arms. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a mere 38 percent of the City’s residents were born in California, and 25 percent were born in a different state, while 36 percent were born outside the United States. It’s common to hear a variety of languages—English, Spanish, Cantonese, Russian, and Tagalog, among many others—spoken as you move throughout your day. Also, the City’s Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest Chinatown in the North America.